2.                Suitable people

2.1.         Safe recruitment

Existing staff are consulted when a vacancy arises to see if anyone wishes to change their hours or days worked. This assists with maintaining job satisfaction and work/life balance. Staff requests for changes are always considered carefully and met if possible. Staff would always be involved as much as possible. The management and staff will draw up a job description listing the qualities they require to enhance the overall setting.

 

Advice would be taken from Children’s information service/parents direct on the most update information required in order to suitable word an advert we will include name of our organization the job title, the purpose of the post, the normal hours of work. Vacancies would then be advertised at nursery, in the local press, the job centre, care related job web sites and through the early year’s development team.

 

Interested persons would be asked to complete a comprehensive application form, giving, amongst others their childcare qualifications and experiences.
Short listed candidates would be invited for an interview that consists of, attending nursery during working session so that staff and management have time to assess the individual’s suitability to the post. During the interview any gaps in employment history would be queried and experience would be checked. Qualification certificates would be reviewed. Two referees would be requested and references would be obtained. Potential employees would be advised on the requirements to have a clean CRB check. Lifestyle choices would be carefully examined, e.g. drugs and alcohol. Successful applicants will firstly be notified by telephone and then this would be confirmed in writing stating terms and conditions of the post.

 

Forton nursery group fully supports Equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice and will not discriminate against any candidate on the grounds of sex, race, age, marital status, sexuality, disability or religion.

 

When selecting a person to appoint, consideration would be given to existing staff profile and any weaknesses that could be improved.

 

An employment offer would be made on the condition that the person DOES receive a satisfactory CRB check.

 

Once a person has been appointed they would enter an induction period, during which time they would read the policies and procedures I.e. safeguarding, first aid, fire safety, training requirements, copies of risk assessment, notices, and confidentiality explained and get to know the staff, children and daily routine. This period would vary depending on the experience of the new employee, but would usually be at least one week but no longer than a month so that the management has witnessed the employee in all aspects of the nursery routine. Observations would be made during this time by management to ensure that the new employee has understood and implemented company policy. A new employee would not normally be asked to be a key worker until they were conversant with all documents and were ready to take on more responsibility. They would be required to attend planning and staff meetings from the start. Existing experienced staff would be available to assist a newer person. If the applicant did not have a recent CRB check, they would not be permitted unsupervised contact with the children or toilet/ nappy duties until a satisfactory check was received back. Once the management feel that a successful induction has been completed the candidate will be issued with a contract. Work experience students will NOT HAVE unsupervised access.

 

2.2.       Suitable adults

2.2.1. Student and volunteer supervision

Students and volunteers are required to sign confidentiality agreements before starting at Forton nursery. They all have an induction that includes a specific risk assessment for young adults. Students over the age of 16 are asked to attain a C.R.B through their college and a copy of this is kept by management. No student or volunteer is allowed unsupervised access to the children at any time.

 

 

2.2.2. C.R.B’s

We provide a staffing ratio in line with the Welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure that children have sufficient individual attention and to guarantee care and education of a high quality. Our staff are appropriately qualified and we carry out checks for criminal and other records through the Criminal Records Bureau in accordance with statutory requirements.

When applying for a job all applicants are made aware any job offers are subject to checks with the criminal record bureau. Applicants will only start in the position once this is attained. The nursery renews all C.R.B. checks every 5 years. 

 

We use Ofsted guidance on obtaining references and enhanced criminal record checks through the Criminal Records Bureau for staff and volunteers who will have unsupervised access to children. This is in accordance with requirements under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 for the vetting and barring scheme.

We keep all records relating to employment of staff and volunteers, in particular those demonstrating that checks have been done, including the date and number of the enhanced CRB check. We use the online system paperless system for obtaining C.R.B checks but a copy of the individuals paper form is kept in their file.

 

2.3.        Alcohol and other substances

2.3.1. Health declaration policy

Staff volunteers and students are required as part of their induction and yearly thereafter to sign health declaration forms stating they have no health issues that would affect their role in the nursery. The declaration form also states that no one is allowed to work at Forton nursery under the influence of alcohol or other substances and that this is an act of Gross misconduct. The alleged gross misconduct is then subject to an investigation Staff would be suspended during this time.

2.4.       Qualifications and training

2.4.1. Staff training

 

It is the policy of Forton nursery that all staff and management are entitled to update their knowledge of through further training offered by the Early year’s development team.

 

We will do this by asking staff during their induction period to complete a questionnaire as to what training they wish to attend. During yearly appraisals staff will be invited to also complete a training questionnaire to identify any shortfalls or to allow for additional training needs to be met.

 

Before an Individual attends any training course they will be asked to complete a training evaluation form stating “what they expect to get out of the course” and on completion of the course a description of “what the course covered” “how relevant the course was for them” and ask them “in their opinion who else would benefit from attending the course”

 

During staff meetings the training evaluation form would be discussed and information shared with all employees at Forton nursery.

 

Due to the structure of the nursery only 1 member of staff may attend a training course during the working day so that there is sufficient cover of staff at the nursery, we will Endeavour to allow all staff to attend during the course of a year.

 

 

2.5.        Staffing arrangements

2.5.1. Registration systems

Staff use the same registration system as the children. The management at Forton nursery use the waiting list to assess when staff are needed. We use the ratios designated by OFSTED for adults with a level 3 qualification in child care.  1 adult for each group of 4 children aged 2 and 1 adult for each group of 8 children aged 3 and over.